Refrigerators for storing refrigerated consumable food items such as milk, butter and cheese, are well known. Cupboards for storing unrefrigerated consumable items, both food and non-food, are also well known. Typically, home refrigerators and cupboards are restocked by opening each, noting those items requiring replenishment, traveling to a store to purchase the necessary items, bringing the purchased items home and placing the purchased items in the refrigerator and/or cupboard.
However, this contemporary restocking process is extremely time consuming and requires substantial effort. It is well appreciated that people tend to value their time more highly now than in the past. This tendency to more highly value time nowadays is evidenced by a trend toward modern conveniences, frequently at the expense of financial considerations. For example, the increasing proliferation of convenience stores clearly indicates a desire to make purchases easily and quickly, even when the cost of such purchases is substantially higher than when the same purchases are made at a more distant supermarket. Thus, it is clear that people are becoming more willing to pay a premium for time saving conveniences.
In an effort to mitigate the inconvenience associated with purchasing household consumable items at retail stores, many consumers have turned to other means of shopping such as placing orders via the telephone, via fax, and/or via the Internet. While such telephone, fax, and Internet shopping is substantially more convenient than in-person shopping at a retail store, it still involves substantial time and inconvenience. A person must still determine which items are to be ordered, typically make a list of those items, and then place the telephone, fax or Internet order. Further, it will be appreciated that such telephone, fax, and/or Internet ordering typically occurs only after a person notices that particular item's need to be ordered. This typically occurs when such items are completely depleted from household inventory. Thus, such telephone, fax and/or Internet ordering frequently occurs at a much later point in time than is desirable. It would certainly be preferable to restock those items which are in short supply prior to completely depleting the supply thereof.
Automated inventory systems for facilitating the replenishment of goods, particularly at manufacturing and wholesale facilities, are also well known. Such automated inventory systems comprise sensors for detecting the presence of desired inventory items, and an inventory processor for facilitating restocking of those items whose stock level has fallen below a predetermined level.
It is also known to construct refrigerators and cupboards such that access thereto is provided at two different locations, such as on two opposite sides of a common wall. Such dual entry cupboards and refrigerators are frequently used at retail locations, wherein customers remove items to be purchased via a first access thereto which is located on the retail floor and service personnel, e.g., typically vendors and/or store employees, restock the cupboards and refrigerators from the second access thereto which is typically located within a stock room.
Although such dual access cupboards and refrigerators are common in commercial establishments, their benefits have not yet been fully appreciated in the home environment. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide dual access cupboards and/or refrigerators which are adapted for use in the home.
Additionally, one problem commonly associated with home refrigerators is that of undesirable perishable food spoilage. It is not unusual for perishable food items to be purchased and placed in a refrigerator, and then not be consumed entirely prior to spoilage thereof. Not only is such a practice wasteful, but it also may result in ruined meal plans, when necessary food items are not available.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a household consumable item automatic replenishment system which facilitates the easy and convenient replacement of household consumable items as necessary to maintain a desired inventory thereof and which also facilitates the replacement of perishable food items prior to spoilage thereof.